Chicken laying on side and paddling legs

[ItsDesKiera]

A few weeks ago we rescued a mother hen and 5 chicks out of someone’s yard who called us. Recently she started getting weak and wouldn’t stand. She does not appear paralyzed and can feel/move her legs. Today I went to look at her and she was looking up like she had wry neck but when I gave her some food her neck appeared fine. She still eats and drinks as well. She shows no other symptoms besides not getting up and laying on her side. She kicks her legs to move around so she can eat. The baby chicks appear healthy as well. Could she possibly be egg bound or possible mareks or some type of deficiency. It doesn’t appear to be contagious because the babies look fine but we have kept them separate from the rest of our chickens and ducks just in case.

 

[azygous]

Having had these symptoms only recently in my flock, it is probably from an avian virus. Marek's affects the nervous system and can cause the kind of paralysis you're seeing. Also, lymphoid leucosis can cause these same symptoms.

As for the chicks, symptoms do not show up in exposed chicks until between eight weeks and twelve weeks. When it does, it's very heartbreaking.

Both viruses are extremely contagious and are spread on air currents from dander and contaminated dust, through mating, and feces. If this hen dies, or if you plan to euthanize her at some point, it's crucial to get a necropsy so you know how the rest of your flock will be affected.

I recently had a necropsy done on a pullet with these symptoms. I phoned the lab and notified them I was bringing them a live chicken for necropsy. They took care of putting her down, and having a very fresh specimen allowed for very high accuracy when examining the pathogens in her tissues. And it saved me the unpleasant task of euthanizing.